RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Recreate the world-famous flower show at home
Selina Lake shares her tips for bringing the Chelsea Flower Show into your garden.
One of the many events put on hold this year is the beloved RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
British greenhouse manufacturer, Alitex, was due to celebrate its 60th anniversary at the show, so to mark the occasion and to pay tribute to the magic of Chelsea, it has diverted this year’s energy to the allotment, greenhouse and garden at its headquartersin Torberry Farm, Hampshire.
SeeThe RHS announce virtual Chelsea Flower Show 2020
'Chelsea is always a manically busy time for us, but it’s hugely rewarding when all of the planning and preparation comes together. We also get to enjoy spending some quality time with our friends from the industry, so it was great to be able to work with some of them for this project too,' says brand Director at Alitex, Nelly Hall.
'One of those friends is stylist and author, Selina Lake, who styled the Alitex stand at the Chelsea Flower Show stand last year. The greenhouse was awarded a ‘5 Star’ award from the judges and it was one of the most Instagrammed stands of the show.'
HOW TO CREATE A CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW GARDEN
Selina was inspired by the countryside and meadows that surround Torberry Farm, so chose blue and white-toned wildflowers such as cornflowers, nigellas & cow parsley to decorate the greenhouse with. She paired these with dried grasses and wheat, which work well with Nelly’s homegrown deep purple sweet peas.
'For me, RHS Chelsea means a week full of floral inspiration and opportunities for garden styling. The Alitex greenhouse at Chelsea is always a firm favourite amongst attendees and provides inspiration for keen gardeners, expert growers and novices alike. I was so excited to hear about their plans for the allotment and was delighted to help style the space,' says Selina.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
1. CHOOSE A THEME
This could be based on a collection of colours, a particular pattern, a trend or a destination. Don't overthink it!
2. TAKE A MOMENT TO ENJOY YOUR SPACE
With more time at home at the moment, in theory we should have more time to sit and relax but life doesn’t always work like that. Position a comfy rattan armchair inside your greenhouse, somewhere you can easily take in the garden views, and this may encourage you to pause for a moment each day.
3. STYLE A DISPLAY TO PERFECTION
As a stylist, Selina takes any opportunity to create a garden display utilising decorative planters, jars, galvanised buckets and vintage wooden boxes. Taking time to make surfaces look beautiful will bring you joy and it is easy to refresh them with the seasons. Try utilising the shelving in your greenhouse and dressing with items you already have such as balls of string, plant labels and vases of freshly cut flowers.
4. TRANSFORM YOUR SHED
After the shed was repainted at the Alitex Allotment, Selina made a simple linen blind to complement the new colour using an off-cut of fabric and a couple of bamboo canes. To give the shed some Chelsea magic, Selina also made a garland to fix above the window using Rosemary, Smoke bush and Ivy cut from her own garden, with some dried wheat and blue statice flowers.
To keep us motivated and inspired until Chelsea 2021, Alitex will be revealing all of the details of its allotment makeover on Instagram.
Follow @Alitex and @SelinaLake, as well as the hashtag #AlitexAllotment, to see the team’s progress.
Alitex, alitex.co.uk
Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.
-
This popular window treatment actually made my bathroom dark and gloomy so here’s what I’m swapping it to in 2025
Sometimes the tried-and-tested method just doesn't work out...
By Charlotte Olby Published
-
How to grow Solomon's seal – for a graceful part-shade perennial with bell-like blooms
Discover how to grow Solomon's seal to enjoy delicate, pendulous spring flowers
By Thomas Rutter Published
-
Trees never to plant in a small backyard – 7 varieties that will overwhelm a limited space
It's best to avoid planting these trees in a compact space if you want the rest of your yard to thrive
By Gabriella Dyson Published
-
The best British gardens that you can visit this summer
Britons staying at home this summer are being encouraged to head outdoors and explore the stunning public gardens on their doorstep.
By Jennifer Ebert Published
-
How to grow organic fruit and vegetables at home – David Domoney shares his four top tips
TV gardener's expert tips on growing your own organic produce...
By Ruth Doherty Published
-
The common mistakes when growing in planters –and how best to avoid them
It is easy when you know how.
By Jennifer Ebert Published
-
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Top tips for growing vegetables
Medwyn Williams, 11-time Gold medal winner at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, gives his top growing tips.
By Jennifer Ebert Published
-
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Five sustainable gardening tips from Bosch's Markus Rekittke
Bosch's garden expert Markus Rekittke shares his simple eco steps...
By Ruth Doherty Published
-
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: The best performing plants for urban gardens
Rethinking tricky gardens with Charlotte Harris.
By Jennifer Ebert Published
-
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Sarah Eberle shares her top summer gardening tips
A gold medal winning designer, Sarah Eberle, talks about naturalistic ways to garden – from playing with planting, using natural features and taking inspiration from your surroundings.
By Jennifer Ebert Published